The Five People Snape Meets in Heaven
by seriousblahblah
Summary: Snape and the Marauders were enemies in life, can they become friends in death? Sirius, Remus, Peter, James and Lily each have their chance to speak to Snape and exchange barbs and long overdue apologies. RIP Alan Rickman.
1. Sirius Black

**A/n: As a Sirius fan, I have a tendency to see through Sirius' eyes and poke fun at the grumpy potions master. But I loved Alan Rickman and felt really saddened by his death. RIP Alan, we miss you already :(**

* * *

A reconciliation

"We didn't always get along."

He laughed.

"No, we didn't."

Sirius ran a hand through his black hair. And Severus felt that familiar tug of envy as he studied the pureblooded man. He looked younger, like in his Hogwarts days, like the arrogant boy who once tormented him.

"I hated you because you were rich, good looking and popular."

Sirius laughed that charismatic laugh of his. "I hated you because you are a slimy git—"

Severus raised a brow.

Sirius sighed. "Actually, I hated you because you were friends with Lily and all James wanted was Lily." He grimaced at his own immaturity. "Later I made it seem like it was all about you being a Death Eater. But that wasn't true. We didn't even think you'd become a Death Eater. We never thought you'd become important."

Severus shook his head. They'd both made so many disastrous choices as young men, and as adults.

"Well, I guess we're even now. We're both dead." He looked around them, at the afterlife. His ebony eyes met Sirius Black's silver eyes again. "What have you been doing all this time, Black?"

"Oh." Sirius grinned. "I had a lot of debts to pay, karma to fix. I made a lot of mistakes in my life." He laughed again and the sound was hollow in the vast expanse of clouds around them. "If I realized I had to pay for each and every stupid mistake and blunder, I might not have made so many."

"Is that why we're meeting?"

Sirius nodded his head. "Yes."

Silence for a moment settled over the two men.

Then, as if remembering his role, Sirius reached out his hand towards Severus.

Severus stared a long time at Sirius' hand, wondering if he would take his enemy's hand.

If he could forgive everything that had gone wrong down on earth.

Finally, he shook the pureblood's hand.

"Yes, I think we can move on." The corners of his mouth lifted into a smirk and Sirius Black was shocked to see the potions master and his old foe, look almost mischievous. "Otherwise, we're going to be here a long time, Black."

Sirius returned his smirk.

"Death suits you."

The former potions master's smirk stretched into a full-on smile. He looked more happy and mirthful than he ever had on earth. "I'm finding it relaxing." He chuckled lowly. "But forgive me Sirius, but I think I'd much rather see Lily now."

Sirius laughed. "Of course, go on. But Severus—"

"Yes?"

"You'll be the one apologizing this time." Sirius winked.

"That's alright," Severus said, his voice strained. "I've been wanting to apologize to Lily for a long time."

.

.

.

This little story is complete but if you want to see Snape's reconciliation with Lily or James, just ask/review and I will write it for you! Thanks, hope someone likes this or learns something from it.


	2. James Potter

**A/n: Thanks theapricot and Alifromnm for reviewing, glad somebody liked it :) Also I decided to change the title like the book "The Five People You meet in Heaven" since I've decided Snape will be meeting five people first in the afterlife: 4 marauders and 1 Lily. Thanks and any critique is welcome, I know my writing isn't perfect!**

* * *

 **Reconciliation 2:**

 **James Potter**

* * *

He wanted to see Lily next but _he_ stood there, guarding the path, in his animagus form.

A great big deer, a stag.

James.

He groaned. "I suppose I'll have to apologize to you too?"

He sat down wearily and the stag approached him with a few graceful steps. Its great antlers held high, proud even in death. Its glittering dark eyes studied him for a moment.

"Well are you just going to stand there?" he asked impatiently.

The stag's eyes seemed to crinkle into a smile and then all at once James Potter stood before him. He was smiling.

"I didn't think you'd want to see my face. So I thought you might prefer Prongs."

"I didn't know that you could still do that here."

"Oh, you can do pretty much anything here...except be a prat." James laughed easily. "There are consequences for that."

Severus smirked. "So Sirius told me."

It felt weird making jokes with his old enemy but death truly did relax him. Something in the air he supposed. Or maybe because you couldn't hide anything here.

James sat down next to him.

Snape grimaced. "So I suppose you're going to tell me what you've been up to and then demand to shake my hand so bygones can be bygones?"

James laughed. "Is that what Sirius did with you?"

He nodded.

James' face stretched into a boyish smile that made Snape all too aware of how much younger the other man had died. He scratched at his scruffy hair. "That's typical of Sirius," he laughed, "Always rushing things. He's been giving out a lot of handshakes!"

"And what do you give out, hugs?" Severus asked snidely. "I think I prefer Sirius' way, you seem to want to drag it out."

James laughed loudly as if they always shared jokes. "Do you want me to give you a hug?"

"No. I'd rather not."

They spoke a bit more, mostly James rambling on about how his misguided affections for Lily made him into a target, until finally he spoke the words the potions master had been almost dreading to hear now.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you on earth, at Hogwarts. There was no excuse."

His eyes met his own with absolute sincerity. Something he'd never seen in his eyes on earth.

Snape just nodded numb and finally they laughingly shook hands. Deciding that that perhaps Sirius' way was best. The fewer words said, the better. They could meet again.

"Severus?"

He turned around. "Yes?"

"Thank you."

He wish he could flip James Potter the bird.

This menace from his childhood whom he hated for most of his life, more than anyone.

Instead his eyes crinkled up in a sincere smile.

"I didn't have a choice did I?"

James smirked. "Yes you did." He bowed his head. "I'll see you around."

The animagus turned back into a deer and disappeared in a flash of golden light.

Severus turned back up the path. Now if he could only meet Lily without meeting another Marauder...

.

.

.

 **Who do you think the next person he meets will be?**

 **and before you freak out saying there's no way that Peter Pettigrew that dirty traitor rat would get into heaven-** **in this story and the HP universe, the 'afterlife' is just the afterlife not necessarily heaven. You'll remember in the books, when Harry dies, even Voldemort (in that disgusting half baby body) arrives in that weird trainstation in the afterlife. I just think bad people would have a different journey once they arrive there.**

 **Hope this chapter doesn't suck too much :P**


	3. Remus Lupin

**A/N: Wow I've been overwhelmed by the positive response for this little story! Thank you! Special thanks to** **the guest, Crimson Mage,** **thedarklordfavoritedungeonbat, The Twinblade Alchemist and the other guest for reviewing the last chapter, so glad that you liked it** **:) I meant to update this story earlier but I got a bit sick over the weekend and was struggling to edit this chapter the way I liked. It's still not perfect but hopefully it's alright and balances humour with truth :)**

* * *

 **Reconciliation 3:**

 **Remus Lupin**

* * *

"Remus."

Oh bother. Not again. He knew all the marauders died before him but did he really have to see each one?

He reluctantly turned to the scruffy former werewolf.

"Let's get this over quickly."

Remus raised his brows. "I take it you've already seen Sirius and James?"

"Yes. So let's just get this over and done with as quickly as possible!"

Remus' lips twitched. "I'm not sure I appreciate being propositioned so roughly."

Snape's mouth hung open. Did he-?

Lupin laughed. "What? You think we can't have a sense of humour here? Sit down and relax."

Snape rolled his eyes but then sat down beside him. He eyed the greying hair of the werewolf.

"So what did we do to each other?"

Remus leaned back thoughtfully. "Not much really." He smiled. "Which actually makes it more complicated." He twiddled his thumbs in a fashion Snape found mildly irritating and pedantic. "You see I never directly did anything wrong to you," Remus admitted shamefully,"but I never did anything right either."

Snape scoffed. It was true. Severus had probably done more harm to the tame werewolf than the other way around. Not that you could tell by how guilty Remus sounded.

"I stood by while my friends tortured you. In some ways, I'm worst than them because I knew it was wrong. Sirius and James followed their impulses, they lacked self-awareness or control. But I knew it was wrong. Still I said nothing." Remus sounded as if he were on the verge of tears. "I am the worst of them. Can you forgive me?"

"Enough! I never hated you anyways Lupin. You didn't signify enough to me." He cleared his throat and stood up, pitying the self-hating werewolf. "I knew you had your own back to look after." He doubted it had been easy growing up as a werewolf. "You were following the status quo, Sirius and James were the only friends you had. You forgave them," Snape stammered, "In some ways, I was the same with my Slytherin friends. I can understand you."

Remus looked up at him with mournful eyes.

"You never wanted to be a Death Eater did you?"

"No," his voice shook, "I did it out of spite, because I was a Slytherin and because I'd already lost Lily. I had no idea how much more I would lose her as a consequence."

"We both lost so much."

"Yes but I had a choice," Snape admitted, "You didn't."

Remus eyes met his as if they understood each other for the first time.

Snape took a deep breathe.

"And for that _I'm_ sorry, I didn't make your life any easier once I found out. I made sure you lost your job at Hogwarts. I made sure everyone knew you were a werewolf. I took everything out on you." he suddenly remembered James's words, "and there was no excuse."

Remus pinched at his nose, he looked overwrought with emotion.

Dear god how much more emotion would he have to deal with today?

"You haven't been here long have you?" he said to change the subject before Remus started crying on his shoulder.

"No, I died a few hours into the battle, not long before you."

"That would explain why Sirius and James-two complete prats-are more composed than you are. They've been here longer." Then he said for Remus' benefit. "Death relaxes them."

Remus shook his head. "Tonks is upset that she won't be raising Teddy, she isn't taking it well."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. She just wanted to be a mother so much." Remus got up to go then turned back to him. "Severus?" he eyed him steadily. "Don't judge him too harshly."

"Judge who?"

"We all mistakes out of fear. Like you did," Remus said and with that left.

Judge who? Severus thought.

It couldn't be who he thought it was? Surely someone so evil could not end up in the same place could they?

No it couldn't be.

Still he stepped towards the path with trepidation.

.

.

.

A.N: Does anyone smell a rat ahead? hahaha yeah i **hate** peter too, especially because of what he did to Sirius and Lily, but not everything is at it seems is it? Even Judas was good once wasn't he and didn't he die of remorse after? Well let's see what the little traitor has to say for himself...it's going to be hard for Snape not to want to crucio him ;)

Would you forgive Peter?


	4. Peter Pettigrew

**A/N: Wowsers! Thanks for reading and thanks to BeholdTheMetatron1946, shadowwriter01, guest, grey wren, the twinblade alchemist, training to be a fangirl and sailormoonserenity99for reviewing! :D I honestly expected this story to maybe get 5 reviews or favs...**

 **Well, I didn't know much about Peter so I had to do some 'homework' on him. I still do not really know who he is, because Peter isn't given much time in the books. And to be perfectly clear, I still *hate* Peter (who ruined the life of my poor Sirius and said horrible lies) but I think it is still possible for him to find some forgiveness in the afterlife.**

 **I also think JK Rowling probably based Peter's name on Peter the apostle. In the bible, Peter, absolutely loved and served Jesus with his whole heart. But when it came time for Jesus' crucifixion, he denied Jesus three times, saying that he did not know him. This was a betrayal he immediately felt terrible about. But he did it out of fear.**

 **I mean, if you were being threatened with the prospect of being nailed to a cross along with Jesus would you have the guts to do it?**

 **I think Peter was probably frightened into betraying his friends. and as much as I love Sirius and hate Peter, I do think Peter got scared again when Sirius came running after him, ready to kill him for revenge. And it's not like because he escaped Azkaban, Peter had a good life. He still had a miserable loveless life where he spent 12 years as a rat. I guess he just didn't see that there are some things worst than death and a life, where you betrayed the only people who loved you, is one of them.**

* * *

 **Reconciliation 4:**

 **Peter Pettigrew**

* * *

No.

No no no no no. It couldn't be Peter.

How could they let him in.

He turned to the mousy haired boy standing there, bold as brass. As if he weren't the worst person on the planet.

"How could they let you in?"

"They let you in didn't they?" Peter said. His face boyish and young like he'd been at Hogwarts.

"I am different."

"How different?" Peter said almost courageously. "We both got left behind by our friends and then made decisions."

Severus was flustered. He could not believe the things Peter was insinuating.

"I never made decisions like yours!"

"You killed people with the Death Eaters didn't you?" Peter looked him right in the eye and Severus saw a courage there that had been completely lacking on earth.

Oh merlin it was true. How could he have been allowed to arrive here either?

Peter placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "They told me it wasn't about judgment here."

Severus threw his hand off him and scowled. "Since when are you the bloody prophet Peter?!"

Peter bowed his head and stared down at his feet. "I spent some time with someone who claims to be a prophet. He explained a lot to me. He says it's not the healthy and good who need to be taught, but the needy and sick. The corrupt."

"And you expect me to believe you've reformed already?" Severus stared disdainfully at the one person he hated above all else. "I should kill you for what you did to Lily!"

"I am already dead." Peter smiled. "And so are you."

"I still hate you."

"You'll let go of it in time?"

"No I doubt that. And why are you being so agreeable?" Dammit it didn't make it easy to hate him.

Peter placed his hands in his pockets and strolled around him. "I guess I am not afraid anymore, I can see clearly now."

"Oh god and now you've gone sappy!" What's next reciting Seal songs?

"Severus I'm just trying to tell you one thing," Peter said and his blue eyes fixed steadily on him.

"What? What could you possibly tell me of value?"

"That you and me are alike, we are not so different."

"No!"

"We both betrayed our friends in a moment of fear."

"No. I'm nothing like you!"

"Severus we are both responsible for Lily's death." Peter stared at him. "Tell me how did Voldemort know about the prophecy?"

Severus finally broke down.

"I told him. I didn't know the seventh born child would be Lily's." Tears ran down his face. "I was a coward. I was fine with Voldemort murdering someone else's baby, some other family. I only regretted it when I found out it was Lily's. And then it was too late." He covered his face.

Peter took a sharp breathe. "I was tortured and threatened with death if I did not join Voldemort. I was a coward but he truly did torture me before I broke down. I was never strong or brave like my friends." His voice carried a deep seated grief. "No one tortured you Severus to join did they? You willingly joined the Death Eaters and you willingly gave Voldemort the prophecy to kill some innocent child and family...until you found out it was Lily's. We were the same."

"Oh god." Severus muttered.

Peter smiled. "The only difference is that you repented for your mistake by doing everything to protect Lily and then Harry. You redeemed yourself. I didn't and for that I've had a very hard time here." Peter shook his head. "On Sirius's insistence, I spent twelve years in Azkaban."

Severus looked up at him. "How is that possible? You've only been dead for a year."

"Time is flexible here. Expandable. I spent twelve years in Azkaban."

Peter suddenly laughed. "Sirius still wanted to throw me off a cliff when I came back."

Severus managed to smirk. "I'm sorry he didn't succeed."

"All my life I was afraid. So full of fear. I sought power and protection in others. In Azkaban, I learned the only thing to fear is fear itself. I learned I did not need anyone else to protect me."

Severus rolled his eyes, although he did feel gladness in his heart that Peter had learned somehing and that he'd chosen to do his due time in Azkaban.

"I'll be going back. I may spend up to a hundred years with the dementors until.."

"Until what?"

Peter smiled. "Until I learn to stop fearing fear."

"You were an awful human being."

"I was _awfully_ afraid."

He turned to go.

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"She's been waiting a long time to see you."

Now that is something he could smile about.

.

.

.

A/N

TO BE CLEAR (so nobody gets angry about peter being in 'heaven') this is supposed to be about the JK Rowling universe's version of the afterlife-in Deathly Hallows, when Harry dies, he and Voldemort end up in the same place in the afterlife. So it's not about heaven/hell in the HP universe but since Voldemor's body was a shrivelled up deformed baby, one assumes that he will have to repent in the afterlife...anyways i have no answers about these things!

Does anybody get the feeling that Lily will probably be the most badass angry dead person ever? Because she's a *redhead* and Harry's mom and Severus sort of bullied Harry...well he also saved Harry's life many times...well we'll see...and Lily's no angel either, she was pretty awful to Severus too when she stopped being friends with him!


	5. Lily

**So I had two choices for this chapter: full angst mode or light humour with emotion. I didn't go for full emo mode because ch4 with peter was already somewhat angsty so I decided this story should end on a lighter note. Sorry if it's too light and fluffy for some people :)**

 **This is just what I imagine it would be like, to see your childhood friend in the afterlife after not having seen them for so long. I know I would be crying and joking and angry and happy and making jokes and making accusations at the same time...because there is so much left unsaid between friends that 'break up'. I don't think ANYONE gets over their first best friend.**

 **Also: someone said they still thought Pete should go burn in the fiery pits of H-E-double-hockey-sticks. LOL. I agree, but I wanted this story to paint a lighter and different side to him. And afterall, we're never told Peter's side in the books? For all we know Voldemort tortured Peter gruesomely until he broke and that is why he caved in. Not everyone can be as brave as Sirius and die for their friends, so I hope you keep that in mind. Also I agree that there is no comparison between Peter and Severus: yes they both started off similarly (betraying their friends) but Peter became worse and worse over the years, going from one betrayal(the Potters) to another (framing Sirius) to another betrayal (bringing Voldemort back from the dead). OTOH, Severus learned from his one betrayal and never did it again. Once Lily died, he completely changed his ways, became a spy for Dumbledore and then spent the rest of his life repenting for it. That is why Severus is billions of times better than Peter-although they did start off similarly as young men who didn't really fit in anywhere.**

* * *

 **Reconciliation 5:**

 **Lily**

* * *

Lily Potter. Lily Evans.

The woman, the girl, who has haunted his dreams for the past 20 years.

She was so much younger than he remembered. She died so young. Yet here she was, the girl with the red hair and green eyes. Every bit as beautiful as he remembered and she was smiling at him like she used to when they were both children. As if her death were never his fault and it breaks down something inside him.

She has no idea how much he loves her, how he's dreamed of her every night for more than two decades.

It's almost too much to take. His eyes started to water already.

She smiled again. Her green eyes shining merrily and then finally her pale pretty lips parted to speak.

"You arsehole!"

"What?!" he felt so confused but the next moment she was hugging him and insulting him at the same time, and he just wrapped his arms around her tighter. Because this is Lily. His Lily.

"You stupid berkin arsehole," Lily sputtered in between hugging him.

Severus laughed in between tears.

"Why are you insulting me?"

"Because we both screwed up so much," Lily said and held him tighter.

"I loved you so much," Severus sputtered, finally admitting the truth.

"I know, but you did everything to screw it up."

"Like what?"

Lily suddenly giggled like they were children again and sharing a good joke. "Like joining the Death Eaters, a terrorist organization that killed people like me?" Lily snorted. "Well that technically did cause my death..."

Severus laughed tearfully. "You're right, that was pretty daft," and he never felt more ashamed of himself. He got to his knees in repentance.

"I never wanted you to die Lily. You must believe me, I'd rather have died myself!"

Lily laid a hand on his shoulder, staring down at him with those ponderous green eyes that had haunted so much of his dreams.

"I know, Sev." Her voice became quieter and meditative. "But you didn't care about my son or my husband being murdered. You only asked Voldemort to spare _my_ life."

Tears began to roll out of his eyes. He'd never been so sure he'd been a prat as a young man, never so aware of his faults.

"I'm so sorry-"

Lily shook her head, daring to smile through her obvious pain. "It's alright now but at the time, I was furious. You said you loved me but you didn't care if my baby boy was murdered? Or my husband? I know you didn't have much reason to like James, but really? You would've gladly seen him die? Knowing it would break my heart?"

"I was so confused! I thought it could be us...again."

Lily raised a brow, incredulously. "After I became a widow?"

Severus realized how flawed and jealous his thinking as a young man had been. "Please please forgive me," he begged for forgiveness, he couldn't stand having Lily mad at him again. He begged again and again, and her green eyes softened for a moment before she narrowed them again.

"Hold on." she said more sternly. "You're not getting off the hook quite yet. You never showed any remorse about James's death-"

Severus interrupted desperately. "I already cleared things up with James! We shook hands, he didn't even mention that I indirectly caused his death! He's actually a pretty nice guy now that he's dead!"

Lily placed her hands on her hips. "Well maybe I'm a little tougher than James. Tough love. Because I loved you Sev. We were friends from childhood but you let me down in so many ways."

She fixed her green eyes on him, which could be both terrifying and beautiful.

"Not only did you join the Death Eaters, after James and I died and Harry became an orphan, you bullied Harry and made his life hell at Hogwarts!"

Severus felt at a loss for words. "I was an idiot. Weren't we all? Sirius was an idiot too, I don't see anyone giving him a hard time about it!"

Lily crossed her arms. "Sirius has had to give out about ten thousand handshakes since he's been here, because he was such an idiot that he managed to piss off ten thousand people."

"That many?" Severus was tempted to laugh. Because Sirius Black had really downplayed it then.

"Don't be so smug, Severus. You also tortured thousands of students beside Harry, over the years." Lily grinned cruelly. "You'll have to apologize to each and everyone of them."

Oh merlin. That many? He really was karmically screwed.

"Lily, just tell me one thing - I don't care about the 20000 or so students I p.o. and mistreated- can _you_ forgive me?"

Lily laughed, her long red hair waving around her face. "Oh Severus, I already have. You saved Harry so many times, even while bullying him, and you helped him destroy the horxcruxes and defeat the Dark Lord. Of course I forgive you."

"Then why were you getting so angry at me?" Severus wiped at his eyes.

Lily made a face. Then just shook her head. "Severus, I'm just dead. I haven't lost my personality."

Severus Snape laughed at that. Laughed more joyously than he ever had since they were both kids.

She embraced him in her arms again and held onto him tightly. "Besides I screwed things up too, when I stubbornly decided not to forgive you that time you called me a mudblood." She lowered her voice to a tearful whisper, "and for that I'm sorry. I could've saved us both if I had."

Severus never felt more happy, like 20 years of grudges and burdens had been lifted from his shoulders. He thought he could stay in Lily's arms forever.

"Sorry am I interrupting anything?" Sirius asked and Severus groaned when he saw the black haired marauder standing there.

They were soon joined by James, Remus and Peter, who came walking up behind Sirius.

Sirius scowled when he saw Peter. "Shouldn't you be falling off a cliff or in Azkaban?"

Peter shrugged. "I thought I'd pop by to visit Severus."

Sirius grinned, and Severus couldn't tell if the two men hated each other or were genuinely at ease joking with each other.

Remus came towards them and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Don't mind them, they like to bicker. Always did really."

Sirius scowled his handsome young face. "You'd think I'd have a reason to when the lowly sewer rat ruined my life!"

Remus patted him on the head. "Now Sirius, watch your tongue before you say something you regret and have to go shaking more hands."

Sirius yelped. "God I am so tired of having to shake people's hands and apologize!"

"Then stop opening your big fat gob," James grinned.

Peter chuckled. "Yeah, if you haven't got anything good to say, don't say it."

How odd, to see them all together and getting along, Severus thought. The last time they'd been together like this was in the Shrieking Shack and by the lake when he'd been bullied on that summer's day so long ago.

He suddenly felt young and light again. As if it were only days after that day by the lake and they were all children starting their lives again and making mistakes.

He suddenly turned to James. "Hey James, you're a prat!" he laughed.

James grinned. "So are you."

Severus Snape said, "But I'm still sorry I partly caused your death."

He held out his hand.

He felt young, he felt light again.

It was good.

 **~THE END~**

* * *

 **So i hope this ending wasn't too happy and gimmicky...though I honestly didn't know how else to write it! I could've gone for something more angsty but then it wouldn't have fit in with everything that came before!**

 **Anyways huge huge thank yous to all the people that reviewed this story and encouraged it**

 **THANK YOU to:**

 **sailormoonserenity99 (yes you were right! she screamed at him),training to be a fangirl (good guesses! maybe she'll slap him later), Shoshanna33, Neith Yamashita, Patty Beau Hammond, seablue4u, Kazetoame (haha i agree, though if you want to see** **peter suffer in Hell please feel free to write that and be sure to torture him as much as you want!), Grey Wren, The Twinblade Alchemist, shadowwriter01, BeholdTheMetatron1946, guest, Suzululu4moe, crimson mage, theapricot, guest, guest** **and alifromn! Thanks so much and hope the ending didn't let you down!**

 **Someone asked for a dumbledore reconciliation but honestly if anyone should be beaten with a stick it's dumbledore! he** **screwed up so many of their lives, esp. Harry's..but I will see! this story feels complete for now thanks for reading :)=**


End file.
